Changes to NCAA eligibility rules cause legal chaos

Recent changes to NCAA eligibility and conference policies have left Utah State University defensive back Bryson Taylor, and other players hoping for a fifth year of eligibility, in a state of uncertainty. 

On June 23, the NCAA transitioned to an age-based eligibility model that allows athletes up to five years of eligibility. At the end of August, the Power Four conferences adopted restrictions preventing athletes with certain professional ties from returning to college football.  

These changes have created unusual situations for athletes, some of them having just exhausted their four-season five-year eligibility, others having gone pro and hoping to return and play for college teams. 

Taylor is one of them. He graduated from USU last year after playing four seasons of college football, attended a rookie minicamp for the Atlanta Falcons over the summer and was later asked back to play for USU.  

“Really an interesting challenge and unique for everyone,” said Bronco Mendenhall, USU’s head football coach, during a pregame presser on Aug. 31. “Bryson is eligible to practice, but currently not eligible to compete.” 

Taylor’s return to USU was allowed in part because of recent legal pushback over the NCAA’s new eligibility model, which resulted in a court order temporarily allowing some members of the 2022 high school class to receive a fifth season. 

This court order came from the U.S. District Court in Colorado in the case of Wisne v. NCAA. But a few weeks later, the NCAA appealed and the Tenth Circuit halted the order, reversing the decision for now. 

The results of battles like these vary state by state. Some players are fighting for temporary restraining orders that would grant them temporary eligibility, others are suing the NCAA and the rest wait in limbo for an official legal precedent to be set in place. 

Taylor may be among them. The Utah Statesman attempted to interview Taylor about how he plans to move forward, but he could not be reached. 

“Bryson is eligible to practice, and so he’s with us,” Mendenhall said. “We’re all hopeful that we can get him on the field as soon as possible.” 

When it looked like a lawsuit from the Southeastern Conference against Louisiana State University could have shifted the tides for these athletes, more stagnancy followed. 

Two former NFL players were attempting to return to LSU to play their fifth years. The SEC filed a federal lawsuit against the university in response, seeking to expel them from the conference.  

A meeting on Sept. 11 was meant to decide whether or not to terminate LSU, but when LSU didn’t add the former pros to their 2026-27 roster, the situation became moot. 

In a statement released after the meeting, the SEC said that “discussions will continue as the conference and member universities work toward an appropriate resolution.” 

The lawsuit remains ongoing, and a conclusion to the eligibility disagreements has yet to be reached.  

Hundreds of these legal battles are currently taking place across the nation, and the NCAA and SEC continue to fight dozens of individual situations.  

“I think as a conference, and certainly here at Utah State, we’re trying to analyze them individually and see what aligns with our values and what doesn’t,” said Utah State Vice President and Director of Athletics Cameron Walker. “Right now, supporting a former student-athlete who was here that didn’t get opportunities coming back, I think we’re generally in support of him as long as that’s what is dictated by the courts.” 

As for now, Taylor’s situation remains unclear. While the new Power Four restrictions don’t necessarily apply to the Pac-12, lingering confusion over where the status of eligibility stands does. 

“I think there’s a difference between the ones that we’re dealing with, and the ones that have played and signed deals and played in the NFL and things of that nature,” Walker said. “An invite to a camp — not getting any money, not signing, coming back — I think is a different scenario than someone who played in preseason games and different situations.” 

According to Mendenhall, the situation is still uncertain and is expected to change day-to-day. 

“At the end of the day, we’re all in a position to make value-based decisions and hopefully adult enough to govern our own behavior,” Walker said.